Shaft-holder



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' S. E. HOPKINS.

SHAFT HOLDER.

No. 894,116. Patented Dem-4,1888.

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UNITED STATES SAMUEL E. HOPKINS, OF PLEASANT,

PATENT OEEICE.

MARION COUNTY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO B. F. MOORE AND J. E. MOORE, OF GREEN CAMP, OHIO.

SHAFT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,116, dated December 4, 1888.

Serial No. 278,416. (No model.)

To all 1,071,077?, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pleasant township, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Holders;

and I do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use thc same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures ot' reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of the invention, and is a side view with the shaft down. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the shaft raised. Fig. S is a front view with shaft raised. Fig. Jr is a top view, the shaft raised.

The invention relates to improvements in holders :for vehicle-shafts or tongue-holders; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

My obj ect is to provide a simple device that may easily be attached to the shafts and couplings in connnon use.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the "shaft or thill having the iron provided with an eye, u, l is the coupling, and D is the axle, all ot' which are of the usual wellknown con struction.

D represents a sjiring-metal plate, having its lower end lateralljv extended, as at l), and a straight edge, c, opposite the extended portion b. A slot, d, in the lateral projection is inclined downwardly and inwardly, as shown, s0 that by driving down on the top of the extended portion, the plate is forced downwardly on the coupling-bolt, bringing the edge c against the axle and holding the plate vertically. It is evident that the inclined slot renders the plate adjustable to couplings of different length.

The upper end of the plate D is provided at one side with the detent e, having the beveled side f, and projection E, opposite the detent, is designed as a bearing for the pivot g l of the latch F, which extends through the transverse slot 71 in the plate. 1 The latch I? has its edges converging, so f that when turned to the rear end of the slot 71/ the edge adjacent to the detent presents an incline from the root of said detent, and when turned in the oppositie direction an incline is presented to the outer point of the detent, the object of which will hereinafter appear.

G is a plate provided with a slot-opening, 71, through which the bolt i passes and holds the plate firmly against the thill-iron.

ll is an elongated detent-lug on one side of the plate G and integral therewith. The lug H stands at an angle to the plate, and is designed to engage thedctent e when the thills are raised.

with sufficient energy to force the lug H over the detent c. The plate D, being of spring metal, gives readily when the lug strikes the incline j'. \\'hen it is desired to lower the thills, they are Iirst turned farther back, which brings the lug on the opposite side of the latch F, then b v pulling forward the lug is forced up the incline of the latch and over the detent.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- I. In combination with the thill-coupling and bolt, the slning-plate having the detent and the pivoted latch, and the adjustable elongated lug secured to the thill, substantially as specified.

2. The spring-plate having the projecting edge and the straight edge at its lower end, the inclined slot therein, the detent at its opposite end having the inclined edge, the pivoted latch extending through the transverse slot and converging to a point, and the lug secured to the thill, substantially as specified.

3. In combination with the sp rin g-plate having the detent, the plate having the slot-opening for the bolt, and the inclined elongated lug integral with said plate, substantially as specified.

4. In combination with the thill, the thilliron, the coupling, the bolts, and the axle,

In operation the thills are turned upward In tetimony whereof:` affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL E. HOPKINS.

lllitnesses:

J. B. BERRY, J. T. MARTIN. 

